The Satori Chore
by SeliiiaXD
Summary: According to Buddhist cosmology rebirth is conditioned by the karmas of previous lives; good karmas will yield a happier rebirth, bad karmas will produce one which is more unhappy. In order to ensure enlightenment, one's love must be completely pure. "No one just reincarnates into another world. It just doesn't happen."
1. To find enlightenment !

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own any of the Maze Runner characters or their Universe. I only own Cleo._

**Cover / Protagonist (Cleo):** Can be found on my profile.

So basically the story is about a girl who is reborn in the Maze Runner Dimension, but was in our Dimension before that. I couldn't find any Self-Insert fanfictions besides this one with the fangirl. Cleo won't be a fangirl, but she did read the books. (main three) :) The story will cover all three main books of The Maze Runner series.  
I have a rough idea what I am going to write and I also have a pairing in mind. I still speculate whether it should have a happy ending or none. Or both in some way.  
Anyway! Feel free to criticise this fanfic - in a constructive way, and also I'm open to any ideas which whirl about in your heads! :D

* * *

**Chapter 1 - To find enlightenment ...!**

* * *

Everything happened so fast.

I didn't even know what was happening, didn't have enough time to process the situation and react in time.

I had fought with my parents. I remember how they always butt into everything, always controlled where I went and always gave me a time limit when I went out. I just wanted to be free. Wished they were parents who worried less about me. I was a university student; I knew what I was doing. I wanted so much, but was only allowed so little. Always tried to please them, and they were still never satisfied.

I had enough of it. I ran out of the house. Other times I locked myself away in my room, sinking into my world of books. Learning, reading, writing. I was such an introvert. I always wanted to learn to dance; I've always wanted to learn to play the piano. To possess a single-lens reflex camera, but I only had a video camera. Wanted a piano, but they bought me a keyboard which already was over 10 years old. I was disappointed with my life. And when I gave up on all of this, and started to spend more time with carefully chosen friends, they butt in again. _I would stray from my path_, they said. _I should be in my room and learning_, they said. _Novels and friends would only distract me,_ they said.

I was _tired_.

Every time they told me that we already had everything we needed. We would need nothing more. I should put myself in their shoes; try to understand them. That's what I always did. I understood very well. In that, I had always been good; showing understanding. But inside I was seething. No matter how much I convinced myself that they were right.

All I wanted was just a little freedom.

Even my younger brother was allowed more than I was. _'I had enough freedom ... for a girl._' Everything lead to me being a girl. The oldest of the siblings at that. All their hopes and expectations weighed on my shoulders.

Eventually, I couldn't hold the weight anymore. It crushed me.

It crushed me just like the car that appeared out of nowhere.

_"We're losing her!"_

_"The pulse decreases dangerously!"_

_"Defibrillator!"_

I heard something snapping- no several things. My eyes flew open, seeing doctors and medical assistants standing around me with dejected faces.

_"Time of death 8:04 o'clock."_

'_No, no, that can't be. This can't be happening! My family ... ,_' I thought, but my thoughts trailed off, as I perceived the continuous beeping of the ECG device.

I wanted to cry and if I could, I would. Instead of that only my bottom lip trembled. The words, that I was _awake_ and _alive_ and sat _in front of them_ caught in my throat when I looked down at my pale, _pale_ face; on its front gaped a huge wound.

I was born on 08/04 and died at 8:04 clock. The numbers, of which I had always thought as my lucky numbers, determined my fate with death.

I was dead.

Suddenly my fingers twitched. Confused, I looked at them and there it was again. My index finger and ring finger of the left hand twitched. No, it was more a pull I felt on them. And then I saw it. Two red bands that seemed endlessly long led trough the door, if not further. On my other fingers also I saw a kind of red band, but they were … _torn_?

Once again there was tis pull. This time more violently. Involuntarily I stood up, confused as to what this was. I shook my head and walked out of the sinister operation room where my end had been determined.

I ran down the hall, looking after my family. _'You must be here somewhere,_' I asked myself, until I ran around a corner and saw them sitting there. They cried and held each other in the arms. I wanted to go and be by their side. Didn't want to leave them alone. Wanted to cry with them. But this time the red threads pulled so hard that I was dragged in the other direction. Panicking, I tried to counterweigh with all my might against it, but they pulled me firmly and constantly in the direction of the open window.

"No!" I shouted. "I want to go back to my family!" At least I wanted to say goodbye properly. But not even this last wish was granted to me. I was mercilessly pulled by the strings through the window and fell.

I fell several storeys until a portal appeared finally under me, which I fell straight into it.

The next moment I was floating in some kind of universe. I couldn't suppress my sobs … but still no tears rolled. I'd never see my family again.

"Hello, I'm Yue, the god of marriage and love."

Taken by surprise, I turned around and saw an old man before me, sitting on the … moon?

"You died, your body and mind now torn apart and with them your red threads of fate. But do not worry, little star. It is not yet your time to go."

Unsure, I took a step back. But I just died...? "What do you mean, it is not my time to go?"

"To find enlightenment and thus pass into paradise, you need to be in accordance with your own soul. In this you can only succeed when your love is completely pure."

I could feel the despair growing in me. Love? I had no idea of love, apart from the love that was mentioned in books. But that was always way too unrealistic, as I felt. Pure love? How on earth should I find something like that, if it didn't even exist? _'I have a feeling that my karma cannot stand me,_' it flashed through my mind.

"Currently you only seem to be an extinct white dwarf, but the time will come when you will wake up like a phoenix and glow as bright as the sun on the brightest summer day."

I didn't understand a word of what he was saying. White dwarf? Phoenix? Awakening? I didn't want to be anything. I wanted to see my family. Wanted one last chance to apologize to them. Sorrowfully I let my eyes wander to my feet.

What was this all about? This didn't look like paradise. It didn't look like hell. Was it something like the "in-between"?

When I looked up again, the wise man was smiling.

"One final note yet, little star. Nothing hurt you and your high sense of fairness as much as distrust, deceit and dishonesty. Maybe that's why you'll be frequently confronted with these unpleasant situations in your life. Then you should justify yourself patiently till the others have grasped your reasons for action.

Except you should control your particular way of thinking, because you may desire for revenge and inflict great damage to you and your fellow in this way. Therefore you ought to make your life a main task in the practice from tolerance, even against the wrongdoers."

Shocked, I looked up at him. How did he know so much? I should be frequently confronted with unpleasant things? I just wanted to ask him all these questions but again these tapes pulled, which he referred to as threads of fate, not allowing my fingers any kind of resistance. "Wait! I still have questions!" Something rang in the back of my mind, a memory that I had put away. _'Red threads of fate. They rip after death. Because then you have no connection to the material world anymore,_' I thought frantically. _'But why do I have...?_'

It was too late; a portal once again consumed me.

"Good luck on your Satori Path. The Path of knowledge about the universal nature of existence."

* * *

It was dark. And warm. I felt comfortable. It felt like I was waking up from a long nightmare but I didn't want to open my eyes yet.

But the moment didn't last long, because as the serene seconds passed by something horrible happened.

Ripping me out from the comfort, something pushed me into cold air - I was practically helpless and unable to move. I knew what it was like to feel helpless. I was used to that feeling.

I did not cry.

I was scared, yes, but only of what was going on. I tried not to fight, took short, shallow breaths as I tried to get a sense of my surroundings.

Rubbed off, dried and wrapped in a soft blanket, two huge arms embraces me ... I froze.

A terrible feeling of uneasiness came over me. A _cold_ feeling that my fear could be true.

I felt how I was moved and eventually placed in another pair of arms.

"Congratulations, it's a girl!"

My bottom lip began to tremble again. I was so shocked by the new knowledge, and that my fears turned out to be right ... I sobbed.

And then I sobbed again.

It wasn't just a dream. I was a flipping baby again.

This time I did cry.

* * *

**Author's note:**  
Hope the first chapter is good enough! :D

_Little side note:_ English isn't my native language but I'm still obsessed with it. Many say that my english skills are nearly perfect, I only hope that they will be enough to write this story successfully. Btw, I'm turkish but was born and raised in Germany. ^_^

_Reviews are **love**!_


	2. Frozen

** Ruefully-yours:** I've deliberated back and forth whether I should really start this fanfic. At first I didn't want to because I already have so many books (not on ff net tho). But I'm literally addicted to this series; I couldn't restrain myself. Also, this idea buzzed in my mind for some time now, I just couldn't shake it off! :D Her name was mentioned in the very first chapter I believe, but it's going to be mentioned again in following chapters anyway (ﾉ◕‿◕)ﾉ

** May a Chance:** Totally. But apart from being a baby again, imagine starting all over again, remembering and missing your family :O And she doesn't even know in _which_ dimension she's in yet.

** Wafflelover06:** Awww, stop it; you are making me blush. ٩(๑^◡^๑)۶ That are really nice words, I'm pleased to hear them. Thank you so much. I was almost hopeless and thought no one would like the story. :D

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Frozen**

* * *

It took some time before I _actually_ realized that I _really_ was a baby again. Or it was rather the case that I was denying it, and had to admit to it at some point.  
It was almost insulting; to be stuck with an adults mind in a child's body, let alone a baby's body. At first I thought it was all just a stupid joke my brain was playing me. Maybe I was sleeping? Maybe I was actually in a coma?

No one just reincarnated again. It just didn't happen.

But as time went on, the more I doubted my theories the more the recent events before my apparent rebirth began to sink in.

I had _died_. I would never see my family _ever_ again. And I was a _baby_.

Could my life be any more fantastic?

But it wasn't even like I had no family now. Someone that I could call family, must have pressed me out of their vulva. And that what I had declared as warm and pleasant had been, in fact, the uterus of that woman.

_"Your name shall be Kihomi."  
__Kihomi_, the woman named me.

I'd prefer the ground opening and swallowing me, but since I was still a flipping baby, this wasn't an available option for me. Not that it would have ever been technically possible. You get what I mean. No, instead I resorted to the only thing that babies _could_ do.

I cried. I screamed. I cried even more.

It was hard for me to accept them as family. I wanted _mine_ back. But weeks passed, and at some point I realized that my weeping wouldn't help anyone. It only exhausted this small, weak body, until I finally fell asleep, whimpering.

Besides, it worried the family pretty much. I couldn't help that I was reborn in the body of her child. In that respect I felt bad for her.

As a few weeks went by and my sense of hearing evolved, I noticed how the woman, the _mother_, was talking to someone on the phone. She didn't understand why I'd always cried so much. But now she was worrying about the fact that I never said or did anything. I only stared into space.

My new … mother ... had often tried to get me to talk. Again and again she pushed herself into my visual field, smiled at me sweetly, stroked and kissed me. Again and again I heard the words "Kaasan _(mama)_", while she pointed a finger at herself. However, I refused to say anything and purposely made the typical baby sounds. Which sounded extremely wrong in my ears. But I felt rebellious.

I wasn't stupid. I knew it was Japanese, but I doubted that we lived in Japan. I had heard her often enough speaking English. I understand some languages. I loved languages. Furthermore, she also looked Asian. She was young. And pretty. I wondered how I looked like. In my previous life I was blonde and had brown eyes. My name was Kristin. It sometimes happened that I forgot about it, which made me a little scared. I didn't want to forget my old life and tightly clutched an iron grip onto my memories.

At this moment I lay around on a big bed. I was bored and no one was here that would have been able to observe me. So I flailed my arms and legs experimentally back and forth to test how much control I had gotten. I did this every now and then, but a baby's body was something very frustrating.

Somehow I managed to turn on my stomach. And then I tried to support myself with these arms. Orientation turned out a little tricky with these fleshy and knobby baby arms, but somehow I managed doing so. I sighed in relief and glanced around. I didn't exactly know how old I was, but I'd find out when we celebrated my first birthday.

I saw something moving in the corner of my eye. There, at the edge of the bed.

Then there appeared a small head with tousled black hair behind the edge of the bed. He also had these Asian eyes like Kaasan. I had often seen him and had found out that I apparently had an older brother. He couldn't be much older than I was; at least 9 months were in. We weren't twins. He had these baby-typical full cheeks, which grandmothers would love to pinch. And if I was honest, I'd also like to do it once. Sadly though, it wasn't possible at the moment, because he had never been close enough.

He looked at me curiously, to which I tilted my head to the side. He then tilted his head also to the side. So to annoy him, I chopsily poked my tongue out at him. Hey, don't judge me, I was an adult medical student trapped in a baby's body. I couldn't possibly do nothing and vegetate away forever. Though to my surprise, he started laughing happily and somehow managed to pull himself on the bed, pulling me into a hug afterwards.  
"Imouto _(little sister)_," he said completely satisfied and planted, to my great horror, thousands of wet kisses all over my face. I squealed in disgust and tried to push him away from me, but he was older and therefore stronger than me.

So I resorted back to hit him with my open palms right in the face, which couldn't be severe, since I was still a baby.  
"Baka _(fool)_, baka, baka, baka!," it blurted out of me. _Hello_? For me, this was a life or death situation. He was crushing me!

Thank God, our mother came rushing into the room and pulled him away from me, leaving me gasping for air.

"Urusai _(be quiet)_, Kiho! You'll hurt Kihomi," she said lovingly to him. My heart softened at that. She really was a great and lovable mother.

"Gomen _(sorry)_, Kaasan. Kiho likes Kihomi very much!," the little tyke said, looking at her with determination. "Kiho will never hurt 'Homi. Kiho will protect her."

Oh Gosh. Please don't. I wanted to be alive at least a bit longer.

She gave him a kiss on the forehead and then turned to me. She examined my face, as she often did, and I examined hers. At least in a staring contest I didn't want to lose. But then she mumbled something. Something that made me freeze inside.

"This aware gaze..." The next moment she smiled again and enthusiastically said, "Did you hear Kihomi? Your Nii-San (_older brother_) will always protect you. You are in really good hands, my little star." I swallowed nervously.

Then something seemed to dawn on her. "Wait, you said your first word ... And it was..." Her face changed from excited to surprise to terror. I laughed diabolically on the inside.

* * *

In the following months, nothing extraordinarily special happened. I warmed a little up to my new family; how could I not?

To the wet kisses from Kiho I always replied with a "_Baka_!" Whereupon a palm of mine had to land in his face. It had become a daily occurrence, and somehow it didn't seem to bother any of us anymore. Not that it ever had bothered _him_ anyway.

Time passed and we grew. I taught myself the art of crawling within the shortest possible time; New possibilities presented themselves to me. I was naturally curious. But from the worm's-eye-view everything looked so much larger. So I taught myself how to walk, too. My brother and mother were very surprised when they saw me walking for the first time; celebrated it with me extensively, though. At that time I had turned purposefully to Kiho, grabbed his round cheeks with both of my hands and pinched them, laughing.

"_Ow, Imouto!,_" he had squeaked, startled.

Weeks passed, then months, and finally my fourth birthday flew past me. Kaasan cared truly a whole lot about us. She was a great mother, and I felt really sorry that I had made her life so hard at the beginning. I later found out that she had to also take care of Kiho the same time, who couldn't sleep because of my crying. I had just turned one, when I found out about it, and one day, as compensation I had decided to look her in the eyes as she looked back into mine, and pronounced my second word. "_Kaa-san_" She deserved it. She was a good mother. One of the best mothers. And even though I missed mine infinitely, I was glad to have Kaasan. She deserved it.

She had cried. But out of joy.

Kaasan had noticed early on that I was smarter than what I let on. At first she just read stories to us that seemed to get more complicated. Later she'd put exercise sheets in front of us, whom we solved together with her. When I compared my sheets with Kiho's one day, I surprisingly noticed that I had a lot more difficult tasks. Of course they weren't difficult for me, still, that was the moment I realized that nothing escaped Kaasan.

However, the peaceful times should soon come to an end.

I just rubbed the fatigue out of my eyes and stepped out of my room when Kiho suddenly appeared out of nowhere, giving me a wet kiss on the cheek. Of course, he was doing this on purpose now, to tease me. He was five I was only four. It sort of became our daily ritual, a weird way in that we showed how much we cared for each other.

"Ewwww, Kiho-nii, you baka!," I exclaimed, reflexively slapping my right palm in his face.

"Oomph," he made and then stopped laughing, rubbing the side of his face, that was now red. "Sorry, Imouto. I couldn't restrain myself. Good Morning!"

I smiled at him and nodded. "Morning, Nii-san. Let's go eat something before Kaasan takes us to kindergarten."

What I felt was great about our relationship was that we didn't quarrel like ordinary siblings over trifles. After all, I had never been a small, annoying sister and he somehow loved me incredibly from the start. Of course, I explained and taught him some things when Kaasan wasn't home. He seemed to love the fact of having an exceptionally intelligent younger sister. Protected me as a result even more in kindergarten of other children.

Not that it would have been necessary. He had this protective instinct of a brother. In some way it was sweet...

And I finally knew what I looked like. I also had this brown-blackish hair, like my brother. My eye colour was brown, not black as Kiho's. But _mine_. Kristin's. The shape of my eyes ... slightly Asian. One could see the shadow of my Asian heritage. But still, at the first sight a frown had crept itself on my face.

As we entered the kitchen, I immediately noticed that something was wrong.

Kaasan was standing ashen-faced in the kitchen, steadying herself with one hand on the countertop. At first glance, she only looked thoughtful, but my eyes were trained enough to recognize the panic behind her irises. Also, normally the television and the radio were turned on with the latest news. This time everything was silent.

What had happened?

"Kaasan?," Kiho worriedly asked; apparently our mother only now broke out of her stupor and noticed us. She quickly put on a fake wide smile and tried to calm Kiho and me down.

I played along for the time being, since she had Kiho convinced, but watched Kaasan attentively all the time.

Some time later, when we had finished breakfast and it was time to go to kindergarten, something quite unusual happened. As Kiho remarked that we were going to be late to kindergarten, Kaasan was kind of nervous again. She smiled at us uncertainly, tucked black strand of hair behind her ear and finally said: "There is no kindergarten today. How would you like it when we do a day of movie watching instead, here at home? Hm, how does that sound, my little stars?" Of course, Kiho rejoiced and exulted so much as if he had won the lottery. I was watching the situation unfold before me with narrowed eyes.

But when she turned away she mumbled something that probably wasn't meant to be heard by me, something that only got me more confused.

"And there won't be any kindergarten from now on."

* * *

It was on a Friday morning, when it happened. Kiho and I were alone at home because Kaasan had gone shopping for food. She no longer took us with her outdoors. And every time she went outdoors, she seemed to be anxious.

She had even bought a safer alarm and door after a group of people gathered in front of our apartment, shouting unintelligible things all over the place. They had knocked on the door and friendly asked if Kaasan could open the door, but she had only tightened her grip on us by her side.

Cold sweat rolled down her forehead as she bent down to us and said, "_You are smart kids, my little stars. Do your Kaasan a favour and hide in the closet upstairs if something should ever happen, yeah?"_

Kiho and I had looked at each other with wide eyes, but he was more scared and took my little hand in his firmly.

But this time, no one knocked on the door and kindly asked to open the door. This time an angry mob hit the door, trying to enter. Crazy laughter was heard, then angry exclamations. Stones were thrown against the windows, but they only caused small cracks.

I knew that soon they'd no longer remain small.

If I was honest, I was scared. Scared to death.

I didn't know what was going on and didn't know what to do. My eyes filled with tears, but I tried to hold them back and stay strong. For Kiho had already started to cry.

"Imouto, Kaasan said..."

Kaasan said. I nodded confidently at him, but felt anything but. My racing heart felt as if it would burst out of my chest at any moment, my lungs filled with too much oxygen, my breathing became so irregular that I was afraid I'd start hyperventilating, or that my lungs would implode.

This was ridiculous. So very ridiculous. I was the elder one here, mentally at least. And yet I was frozen on the spot and felt Kiho pulling me into another room and finally closing the closet door behind us.

What was happening here? What did these people want from us? I looked at Kiho with a blank expression on my face, who returned it with a concerned one. He squeezed my hands in his and smiled at me bravely. Despite the tears flowing incessantly down his cheeks.

Until now I hadn't known how strong my brother was.

Time seemed endlessly long as we sat there, holding hands and, how it seemed to us, afraid for our lives. Eventually, it became very quiet.

Too quiet.

I wondered where Kaasan was. She was out there. What was going on out there? And where were all these people?

Suddenly, someone opened the closet door and two figures clad with white clothing stood there, regarding us with indifferent facial expressions.

"Are these the children?," one asked.

"Yes, the mother was found this morning ... It seems some Cranks noticed she was immune and became jealous," the other replied.

My body realized faster than my mind what the two were saying and began to tremble.

,_No. No. Not again. Notagain. Pleasenotagain!,_' I desperately thought.

Tears flooded my eyes again and this time I couldn't stop them. I didn't care that I was mentally older. This was something no one should have to go through. Not once. And not twice.

"W-Where is our Kaasan?," Kiho asked worriedly and glanced nervously back and forth between the two men. He looked exhausted. I couldn't imagine how _he_ fared with the current situation. His nose and eyes were already quite red from crying. I doubted that I was better off.

"Do you think the children are immune, too?," the first one asked again.

I still hadn't really internalised the meaning of their words. All this time only one thought looped in my head: _Kaasan was gone_. She was _made_ going from us.

At once a tremendous anger surged through me. Anger at the people out there, at myself, because I didn't know what was going on. At these two men because they didn't help Kaasan. Actually, who were they?!

"Who are you, anyway? Why are you here?," I asked calmly, though my eyes threw bolts of lightning at them. For a moment both stared at me in surprise; Eyes darted back and forth between Kiho and me.

"Her. She's different." This comment stunned me. Different? Was it my looks? My behaviour? My British accent I still had from my previous life unlike Kiho and Kaasan?

"No, both are different. But her. She seems mentally more mature." Oh Gosh. Ohgoshohgoshohgosh, I shouldn't have said anything. Why had I opened my mouth? And how could they see that so fast?

The second one slightly leaned down and began to talk insistently to us: "I'm sorry, kids. But something... bad happened to your mother. There are evil people out there. And they are ill. Very ill. But you can't get ill. And if you stay here, they will hurt you because of jealousy, too," he said slowly, so that small children could understand it. He continued: "We are from _WICKED_, and if you come along with us you'll be safe from the cranks. But I'm sorry to have to tell you that we will have to separate you."

I turned into a pillar of salt, an ice-cold shiver running down my spine. Were they for real? Only now the meaning of their words seeped into my brain. My fingers began to tremble, I only barely noticed how Kiho made a fuss and lunged at one of the men. "Nobody touches Kihomi! You can't separate us, I won't allow you!"

Crank. Immune.  
Immune. Crank.

_Crankcrankcrankimmuneimmune_ ... With every passing second my eyes widened a bit more in horror. My breathing became fitfully. My face turned pale.

In a flash I was grabbed and thrown over a shoulder. Startled, I looked up and into the angry, yet panic-stamped eyes of my brother. "No! Imouto!," he shouted frantically.

"Nii-san!," I desperately shouted back and watched helplessly as he was being carried away by the other man.

All of my alarm bells were still ringing as my brain started catching up with the chaotic, horrible, oh so horrible situation.

_Who are you?_

_We are from WICKED._ I sobbed.

Oh Gosh.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Hellooooooo my dear reviewers and followers, I see you and I love you all! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Please don't be put off by all the Japanese terms. This is only Kihomi's backstory. Sort of. From now on they won't be occuring that often. Or if they even _will_.  
Starting next chapter we'll enter the actual events of the plot.

I'm curious as to what you think of it. Could I bring you closer to the protagonist? What do you think will happen to Kiho and her? Please leave me your opinion! Some short sentences would be enough. You make me incredibly happy and motivate me to start writing a lot sooner and faster. This takes really a vast amount of time, since I'm not an english native speaker.

Reviews are _love_! _  
_


	3. Double-Take

**WISH YOU ALL A WONDERFUL &amp; COMFORTABLE 2015! :D**

I'd first like to apologize that this chapter took a long time in coming. But as you all know, it was Christmas and then New Year's Eve. And then one of my cousins had also decided to hold her engagement, henna evening, wedding and registry office within two weeks! The last month was pure stress. And honestly, I'm not a person of much volume and strange Halay dances. ._."

** Wafflelover06**: Aw! One of your favourites? Oh Gosh, I'm incredibly glad. It even had only two chapters! :D Exactly, I mean, at least we don't remember our own baby time after all; but to be aware about what is done to you like Kihomi ... it's a little embarrassing, isn't it? :D

** Ruefully-yours**: I love long comments! Can I say that you're also great?! That ... I won't tell. Haha, but I like the thought. Wait and see! ;) I know that, but the "looser" version is Kaa-san. Okaa-san is more formal. I've done my research. :P Thank you for noticing that! I wanted something different. I missed that in other fanfics. The OCs mostly just woke up in the box.

** May A Chance**: Thank you for loving my story, I love you too! :D That's very nice of you to comfort me, it really means a lot to me. :)

** Krisicake**: Interesting thought! Just let yourself be surprised, because I won't tell anything. :P

** All guests**: Thanks for praising my grammar and spelling so much. This applies to all my reviewers. Your kind words give me moral uplift and more confidence in my English writing skills …

* * *

**Chapter 3: Double-Take**

* * *

Kiho and I sat opposite each other on stools in a bare white room after we met again for the first time in days and fell into each other's arms with relieved tears. Currently, we didn't quite know how to deal with the situation. It all - once again - happened so suddenly and fast.

At first I didn't understand _why_ WICKED tore us apart. We had _just_ learned that Kaasan was no more. And then we should be separated? I was boiling with indignation and worry. I knew what WICKED was capable of, and that frightened me even more. I knew _everything_. Only thing I did not know was about what I worried more: That I was born into this ungodly dimension and had to either fear for my life because of Grievers or Cranks - Or for my brother's life.

I loved Kiho. I loved him very much. He was my everything. Literally. If I had known the dimension from the beginning ... I don't know. Would I have been selfish enough in the beginning to keep my family at a distance to keep my own butt safe? After all, it was easier just to worry and take care of yourself. Without anyone. Someone who could be snatched away from you at any moment in this cruel, _cruel_ world.

I was afraid to lose someone again. To lose Kiho, too. Uncanny fear. I did not understand this fear.

I knew WICKED was anything but GOOD. I was worried that Kiho could think otherwise. He was just a kid. So easily manipulated.

"I want to get out of here," I told him blatantly.

He only frowned and cocked his head to the side. "Why? You they saved us, Imouto?"

I had feared this. Indeed, in recent days, when we were separated WICKED had performed some minor tests on us. They were still playful and more suitable for kids so that they could win our trust. Only it did not work with me. I was not a child.

I also finally got a clue why Kaasan had behaved so strangely in the kitchen back then. I didn't know where I was at the time. WICKED had now, however, let us see and hear these reports in the news, enlightening us about what was going on in the world. About what had happened Kaasan. What could have almost happened to us. _Of course_ Kiho would trust them after that.

Just as he was now blind to this room, because _I was_ aware of the cameras recording us with every little fibre of my body.

This world was _hopelessly_ lost. Several months ago the epidemic of the unknown virus, which this society called "The Flare", broke out. No one knew exactly where The Flare came from; Many people have speculated that it had something to do with the solar flare that burned the world a few years ago and triggered a mass panic on the entire world. There were so many victims.

I clenched my little hands into fists and knitted my brows grumpily.

"Imouto, WICKED is good-"

"No, don't say that!" I interrupted Kiho harshly, standing up bitterly. I refused to believe that they succeeded in pulling Kiho on their side. Suddenly all the images I had visualised while reading the books shot trough my mind. It lay quite a while back, and I was so blinded by my own panic of Cranks and this soulless organization till now, that I had almost forgotten _The Gladers_. I had hardly given any thought to these teens, which couldn't be much older than me. My brain quickly calculated the period of time. The Flare had just broken out. Most of The Gladers were picked up around this time by WICKED, and put into the maze about ten years later. At least I thought so.

Weren't The Gladers at an average age of 15-17 years old in the maze? I couldn't put my finger on it since I read the books way back. I was glad that there was even a little room for logical reasoning in my worry-intoxicated brain.

"But Imouto, they want our help at finding a medicine. WICKED asked me if I would be willing," he continued frankly, looking at me pleadingly.

_No, please no ... PleasePleaseDon't._

"I've volunteered, Kihomi."

* * *

It took three days until I somewhat calmed down and for WICKED to put Kiho and me back into a room. This time, ensuring that I wouldn't try to tear my hair out like a lunatic again, while yelling at Kiho and throwing myself at him promptly dragging him to the ground.

I admitted that after I heard his last words, I had suffered a small mental breakdown.

Okay, a big one.

But one has to admit that this was justified! He didn't say so just to annoy me. He called me by my name. Even though he only was a five-year-old; He still was more mature and smarter compared to other children. Even if he didn't show these sides often. I understood his reasoning. But this only showed that he was still just an inexperienced child that was too trusting.

Perhaps it appeared to me in such a way because I knew what would come to us if we should stay here.

Yes, in the past three days I had thought about a lot of things, since I was left alone in my cosy room.

I knew for certain that we'd run into the awaiting open arms of death in the long run.

But at the same time I couldn't imagine that the world outside these laboratories could be any safer, where crazed people were crawling around on the streets, devouring their own kind.

I shuddered at the thought. Maybe ... maybe I could play along. For both of our lives.

,_We at least have about ten years_," I told myself. ,_Ten Years of safety here until the time came to run away_. '

"Nii-san, what do you think why these people always put us in this room?" I asked. I wanted to hear his view of the whole thing.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know. I'm just glad that I'm able to see you here at least. I miss you, 'Homi."

I smiled sadly at that. "I miss you too, Kiho. It's boring alone in my room. I always have to do homework."

"You're _alone_?" Kiho asked, frowning. "I'm with a dozen other children. We learn together and in the large dining hall we eat together."

Uhm. Okay. Why have I been excluded from the others? Did I miss something in the books?

"Nii-san, do you think there is something wrong with me? Do you think I'm sick and therefore they won't let me among the others?"

This time Kiho furled his cute eyebrows together indignantly, standing up and resting his hands on his hips. "Of course you _aren't_, Imouto!" He scolded me. "Maybe it's because you don't want to help?"

Well, that left me pondering. WICKED saw how much I resisted against them. That wasn't really a good move on my part; I had to admit that much, unfortunately. I could easily expect of them that they'd use Kiho against me. If not now, it would show sooner or later. But now that they had Kiho on their side...

"Where you are, there I'll also be, Nii-san."

* * *

I don't know what had changed after that conversation, but I shouldn't see my brother for a month.

They never let me out of the building, let alone my room. Came for me every day at a certain time to give me private lessons and to make fitness tests.

I wondered what they let Kiho do. I knew WICKED conducted operations in the brain of Immunes in order to insert chips to measure brain activities. But as far as I had caught out of the books, the majority of the experiments did not survive the operations.

The school tasks got more difficult. They were on a completely different level than Kaasan's, but I didn't start struggling with them yet. Though I noticed that they added various topics to the tasks from time to time, such as first aid, animals and medicinal plants etc. It surprised me that they took so much care of our education.

And then, one afternoon, my room door was opened slowly. I didn't think much of it, and when I looked up, the pencil I was writing with slipped out of my hand. "N-nii-san?"

"Hey, Sis!" He exclaimed happily as he came up to me and pulled me into a tight hug.

_Sis?_

Who the flip taught him that?! First I didn't see him for such a long time, and then he greeted me in such a way...

"'Homi, you all right?"

I squinted my eyes and pulled away from his warm embrace. "Who are you?" I growled menacingly. At least as menacing as it was possible for a four-year-old.

"Naaaawww, Imouto, didn't you miss me at all?" He whined, still grinning.

"... Nope."

"You're a bad liar, 'Homi."

Since when was he this cheeky?

I remembered that we previously never had much to do with other children ... In kindergarten Kiho had always been by my side, not letting anyone near me. We even could have started with the school sooner, but Kaasan didn't want to rush us.

_Kaasan_. Every time the tears almost overflowed when I thought of her. She stopped taking us to kindergarten because the virus popped out of nowhere, jumping unstoppable from body to body. She didn't want us getting infected. Inwardly, I shook my head vigorously. I would try not to be sad, but happy for the wonderful time I had with her and Kiho when thinking of her!

I was not a psychologist, but I could well imagine that Kiho's true personality began to develop through interaction with other peers. While dealing with other children, he expanded his social communication skills for the first time. I sighed. One month. Only one month passed without me...

I baulked at hearing him say _'Sis'_. I could have sworn that for a brief moment I saw my _own_ brother's features in his. For a brief moment I haven't seen Kiho's olive-black eyes but _his_ cloudy-blue ones. ,_Sis, guess who landed a role? Ain't I amazing?!_' His proud words echoed through my memories.

I hadn't realized how Kiho sneakily approached me while I was lost in thought, pressing a big fat smooch on my cheek.

I was petrified at first and then made a disgusted grimace, slapping my right hand in his face. "Baka, baka, baka, baka!"

He laughed loud and hard, holding his stomach whilst I wiped his drool off with my sleeve. What a horror.

But when he still hadn't stopped laughing after a few minutes, I couldn't help but smile gently, watching him.

Right, where Kiho was, there I'd also be. I would protect him.

* * *

She closed the door of the observation room carefully behind her, trying not to disturb WICKED's current Chancellor Kevin Anderson at work. He glanced briefly over, smiling and nodding at her. She nodded back.

She stopped beside him in front of the monitor, both watching the two latest subjects interacting with each other. Immediately her eyes fell on the little girl, who always managed to leave her speechless.

"You seem pretty fond of the little girl," Chancellor Anderson remarked, still carefully observing the behaviour of the children. She didn't know at first what to say. Was she really '_fond_'? It was more a curiosity.

"Chancellor Anderson, I'm only interested in her. That's all there is, I believe."

"Would've had wondered if you wouldn't be. You are responsible for her after all."

She nodded again, watching through the screen how she hit her brother in the face. "It's just strange ... It's as if there is a lot more to her but she doesn't let that on. Like she does not _want_ us to know."

Chancellor Anderson pulled his eyebrows up and glanced at her curiously now. "Keep talking. I think I know what you mean."

She swallowed curtly and continued. She couldn't just say _'no' _to the chancellor. She admired him very much, and that always made her nervous around him.

"Well, if she's with her brother she seems like a child. Even towards me when I'm testing her. But it often seems to me as if she only acts childlike. It seems feigned. "

Chancellor Anderson now smiled proudly at her, turning his gaze back to the screen. "That's what I've also thought. You're absolutely right..."

But she wasn't done yet. There was something that bothered her for some time now.

"Recently, when I let her run on the treadmill while measuring her pulse and cardiovascular system, something ... I had to cough, and there was blood on my palm. And do you know what she told me in _her_ words? ,_Sorry, that I interrupt the test, but You have haemoptysis. I noticed that you breathe very quickly and start to sweat. It could be due to a pulmonary embolism. Perhaps it is even a tumour. You should get it checked quickly._' I wonder if these are things a four-year-old should know?"

Surprisingly, Chancellor Anderson looked at her with troubled eyes. She'd expected that he'd be shocked.

"You've been coughing _blood_? Why didn't you say something?"

She couldn't believe what was happening. The Chancellor was seriously worried about _her_?

"Well, I'm feeling much better. I thought it was nothing serious, but as I underwent a medical check pulmonary embolism was detected. I've received the necessary medication now ... But Kihomi..."

"Ava", the Chancellor started. "You're the assistant director no. 1. After you it's Janson. I've assigned you to Kihomi not to get attached. Compassion and devotion - "

"- Shouldn't be adopted in our profession, I know. I won't. I know why Janson can't do it, even though he is the assistant director no. 2. He's with Thomas. I get it. But this girl..."

"Do you know if her mother could have taught her?" The Chancellor asked. Ava breathed a sigh of relief. Relieved that he didn't ask about her well-being anymore.

"I've done a background check on her. She worked as a simple bank clerk, however. Nothing that could have anything to do with medicine."

"Hmmm," Chancellor Anderson wondered aloud. "I am still wondering what to do with her. Her or Teresa? Do you understand? But after what you said, she could also help us in the medical department."

"But therefor she has to join us voluntarily; How-"

Ava stopped herself when Kevin Anderson put on a knowing smile and looked at her again with soothing eyes.

"But she has already. Don't you see it in her eyes? Wherever Kiho is, there she will be as well."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I had actually planned a lot more for this chapter. But then it would have been too long and I would have pretty much rushed and abbreviated it. So I divided it into two. :D I think this is a good place to end this chapter. :)

I've researched so much for this chapter. I _love_ researching haha! I even bought the bonus material "Maze Runner Files". I love this book series so much. :D (apropos, you can download the Files via the Link on my profile)

I also wanted to recommend two brilliant Maze Runner fanfic's. These two are among my absolute favourites and just _have_ to be mentioned!

\- "**The Variable**" by freedwinner28

\- "**Lost Within The Walls**" by JustYourAverageJackSparrow

Do you also have any top favourites in the The Maze Runner category? Feel free to mention them in the comments.

**Reviews are ****_love_****! :***

* * *

**(Next Chapter: _Burnt Out_)**


	4. Looking into it

_*appears with a mysterious dark cape out of nowhere*_

* * *

**ATTENTION! I'VE TAKEN YOUR PLUSHIE HOSTAGE! IF YOU DON'T READ THIS, I'M GOING TO THROW IT IN-BETWEEN A MOB OF DROOLING BABIES.**

This is not a chapter (but the author's note in the next chapter would have been too long otherwise), I'd like to say a few things since I was kinda irritated by a comment; And I suppose that this thought whirled through the heads of several readers:

* * *

_"It takes too long to get to the maze."_

* * *

At this point I'll say in advance - **The Maze starts with Chapter 5.**

This does not mean that the first 4 chapters are insignificant. Not at all.

I always put much **emphasis on small hints** **for future references** and events **in each scene**. Who reads thoroughly, reads between the lines, and is able to connect certain points, will understand this story much better.

I don't like it when everything goes too fast. I've read a lot of fanfictions, in which the protagonist just wakes up inside the box and immediately falls in love with someone. And that someone also falls in love her. They become a couple and then there's fluff fluff fluff fluff and … Fluff.

Bit of drama here. Relationship problems there. Kisses. Love. Bluhbluh ... bluh.

Guys ... I think the **Gladers have other problems aside from love-issues**. _The maze is just a trial. It's not the world._

**Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ**

**Character development is arguably the most important aspect of writing ****successful ****fiction.**

And for that I need these first four chapters. They are important. Very much so. Very important for future choices which still lie ahead of the prota. That influences her actions. That influences other characters. **This story is profound**. There will also be _many turning points_.

If possible, read the chapters again, more accurately. I would love to know what you figure out. I like to _encrypt_ things. I never tell too much. Never give facts flatly away.

**Think for yourself.** _I want to encourage my readers to think about issues for themselves._

**Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ**

Your thoughts are important to me. To be aware of what I'm doing right; What I'm doing wrong. What you've _decrypted_. Or what you've _noticed_.

I've been writing for 12 years. Someday I want to send an original story to a publisher. And with these fanfics ... Many of you are here just for reading. Other hobby-authors will know what it feels like to get no feedback for his work. **We earn nothing**. We do it for free, for your amusement, and to satisfy our thirst for writing. _**All that remains for us is a little feedback**_ from the readers. Which's far too rare. Sadly.

**Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ**

_Everything will make sense in the end._ The **individual pieces of the puzzle** that I here and there chuck to you, **will eventually join together to form a whole.**

This is not an attack. I just wanted you to look more into the chapters. I hope I managed to open the eyes of some of you.

_Look at the big picture._

* * *

_*twirls the cloak over her head, whirls around and disappears just as quickly*_


End file.
